The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Michael Waltz, alongside American rapper Nicki Minaj, highlighted Nigeria’s growing security and religious freedom challenges during a UN briefing on Tuesday evening. The event, titled “Combatting Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria,” focused on the escalating threats faced by Christian communities across the country.
Ambassador Waltz described the attacks on Nigerian Christians as intentional and systematic, calling the violence “genocide wearing the mask of chaos.” He elaborated, saying, “In the Middle Belt and in the North, churches burn, mothers bury their children for the crime of singing Amazing Grace; pastors have been beheaded for preaching the sermon on the mount. Entire villages wake up to gunfire because they dare to commit the crime, the crime of calling Jesus their Lord. People go to jail under blasphemy laws for simply wearing a cross. This is not random violence. This is genocide wearing the mask of chaos.”
Waltz also highlighted recent kidnappings, pointing to the persistent insecurity in Nigeria. “It just happened yesterday; 25 little girls were ripped out of their school,” he said. Citing data from NGO Open Doors, he noted that Nigeria accounts for a significant share of global attacks on Christians, with the organization estimating that 80 percent of worldwide violence against Christians occurs in the country.
The ambassador praised President Donald Trump for addressing the crisis internationally. “Yet in the face of this evil, one leader has refused to look away. President Trump has made the persecuted church his priority like no other president before him in American history. He was the first US president to convene world leaders right here at the United Nations in 2019 to draw attention, draw the world’s attention to what is happening. He created the Religious Liberty Commission to fight for believers everywhere,” Waltz said.
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He continued, “And while Nigeria’s Christians cried out, he answered, and he has answered loudly. He has reminded the world that protecting Christians is not about politics. It is a moral duty. We need voices that pierce the silence that we’ve heard from the international community, that humanises these statistics that we keep hearing, and that demands accountability.”
Nicki Minaj also addressed the briefing, framing Nigeria’s crisis as part of a broader global challenge to religious freedom. She said, “In Nigeria, Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes, and killed. Churches have been burned, families have been torn apart, and entire communities live in fear constantly, simply because of how they pray.”
She further highlighted that similar challenges exist in other countries and called for urgent international action. “Sadly, this problem is not only a growing problem in Nigeria, but also in so many other countries across the world, and it demands urgent action,” she said. Minaj also praised Trump’s efforts, adding, “Thank you to President Trump for prioritising this issue and for his leadership on the global stage in calling for urgent action to defend Christians in Nigeria, to combat extremism, and to bring a stop to violence against those who simply want to exercise their natural right to freedom of religion or belief.”
The musician concluded by expressing hope that the event would inspire wider international collaboration to ensure that “every person can enjoy the right to believe, to worship, and to live in peace.”
The UN briefing follows President Trump’s recent remarks labeling the situation in Nigeria as an ongoing “Christian genocide” and his announcement that the country would be designated a Country of Particular Concern.
The Nigerian government, however, rejects claims that the violence is religiously motivated, maintaining that the security challenges are primarily criminal, though US officials continue to voice concern.